Milan Cemetery is both quaint and unassuming. Driving through, one might easily suppose there is little of interest over which to pause and wonder. Such a supposition, in this case, would be quite a mistake, for this rather plain-looking burying ground comes with a rather engaging ghost story.

But before we get to the really fun part, a bit of history is in order.

Upon entering Milan Cemetery, visitors will not be able to miss the squat, almost bullish sandstone building directly before them. This, as the carving above the door indicates, is the Hastings Memorial Chapel. It was constructed in 1922 with funding bequested by Carrie Hastings, daughter of Captain Hugh and Elizabeth Hastings. According to her wishes, upon her death in 1921, $14,000 from her estate was given to Milan Cemetery in order to construct the chapel in honour of her deceased parents. In life, Hugh Hastings was a well-liked and respected schooner captain who also served on the Milan Cemetery Board during his final 10 years of life.

Nowadays, the building is locked except for Memorial Day when the bronze doors are opened and the simple interior is accessible to the public. In truth, there isn’t much to see within, the most notable features are the eight stained-glass windows which, while visible from the exterior, need to be seen from within to be fully appreciated.

In case you were wondering, all three Hastings are buried at Milan Cemetery. They are not entombed within the chapel.

In the southeast corner of the cemetery lies the Galpin Wildlife Sanctuary. The gift of William A. Galpin, the 20-acre refuge was created in 1927 as a bird sanctuary and a place where wildflowers would be encouraged to flourish. Galpin was a native of Milan who, despite relocating to Buffalo, New York, never lost his affection for his hometown.

Towards the middle of the cemetery is the receiving vault which was constructed in 1886 and, according to information we have seen, is still in use today.

But to our ghosts…

To best enjoy this tale, visitors must first locate the Abbott mausoleum. This can be slightly difficult as most references to it are now misleading owing to current construction which has significantly changed the landscape around the crypt. The structure used to be obscured by trees, and a pond would have reflected the white stone of the mausoleum front in its quiet surface; however, at the time of our visit the entire area was being cleared…perhaps for more burials. In any case, the best way to find it is to enter at the Broad Street gate and follow the road as it turns to the right past the Hastings Chapel. Turn left at the second intersection and then right at the next. To your left, you will see some sort of “grandstand area.” Look to your right and you should see a white obelisk and the entrance to a mausoleum built into the hillside. That is what you are looking for.

This map should prove helpful; however, keep in mind the stand of trees shown by the red arrow (Abbott mausoleum) is no longer there.

So, who were the Abbotts and why would they choose to haunt this place? Mr. Abbott (Ben) inherited his father’s prosperous shipbuilding business and saw to it that the company continued to thrive. His greatest claim to fame lies in the fact he built a cargo schooner (the Mary Abbott, named after his mother), which he loaded with local Milan produce to be shipped to New York City by way of the Huron River and the Erie Canal. This feat proved there was a market for such items in New York and, most importantly, an effective way to deliver them. This created a boom in business in Milan.

What made the Abbott’s resting place notable to local residents was the fact that the mausoleum faced away from the rest of the cemetery as it existed in 1854. Logic, of course, quickly shows there was no more efficient method of burial in the chosen spot. The natural hillside provided an excellent spot for a vault to be constructed and the aforementioned pond would have been an attractive feature. Be that as it may, that didn’t stop people from speculating about the reasons the Abbotts would have chosen this different type of entombment…and therein arose the legend.

As Ben Abbott was the first to die (his wife, Lorena, survived him by 14 years), townspeople said the location of his tomb was chosen as he was particularly interested in not being disturbed in death. Locals began to dare one another to go and knock on the door (now bricked up). Those who did claimed to hear loud cries of outrage from within. Others said Ben’s shade would emerge and chase them through the cemetery.

Upon Lorena’s death in1868, she was said to occasionally join in the chase if the mood struck her.

All of this would be fun, but not as fun as it becomes when you learn the Abbotts are no longer entombed in their own mausoleum. Instead, their two granddaughters occupy that space, the Abbotts themselves having been relocated to graves above (now marked by a white obelisk bearing their names and relevant dates).

Initially, the story went that Ben had murdered the children and buried them in his backyard. Years later, when his crime was discovered, they were interred in the mausoleum in retribution while Abbott and his wife were moved as indicated. In this version of the story, Ben’s ghost pursues those who disturb the mausoleum because he feels guilty for his crime and wishes to protect the eternal sleep of his grandchildren. When not being challenged, he sits on a chair inside and reads to the girls. Of course, this is pure fabrication, but it does make for a good ghost story, especially if you happen to be visiting the cemetery late at night.

For those interested in the real reason the grandchildren are now resting in the mausoleum, we can tell you the girls died of natural causes (some unknown maladies) and were subsequently buried on the Abbott’s property. When the land was purchased after the Abbotts died, the new owners did not wish to have graves on the grounds, so the children were exhumed and moved to the mausoleum. The individual who made the decision is not known.

On an historical note, a number of Thomas Edison’s family members are buried in Milan Cemetery, though he himself is not. Edison was born in Milan, not far from the cemetery, and for those interested, his birthplace is open for visitors.